Conventional means for delivering active agents are often severely limited by biological, chemical, and physical barriers. Typically, these barriers are imposed by the environment through which delivery occurs, the environment of the target for delivery, and/or the target itself. Biologically and chemically active agents are particularly vulnerable to such barriers.
In the delivery to animals of biologically active and chemically active pharmacological and therapeutic agents, barriers are imposed by the body. Examples of physical barriers are the skin, lipid bi-layers and various organ membranes that are relatively impermeable to certain active agents but must be traversed before reaching a target, such as the circulatory system. Chemical barriers include, but are not limited to, pH variations in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and degrading enzymes.
These barriers are of particular significance in the design of oral delivery systems. Oral delivery of many biologically or chemically active agents would be the route of choice for administration to animals if not for biological, chemical, and physical barriers. Among the numerous agents which are not typically amenable to oral administration are biologically or chemically active peptides, such as calcitonin and insulin; polysaccharides, and in particular mucopolysaccharides including, but not limited to, heparin; heparinoids; antibiotics; and other organic substances. These agents may be rapidly rendered ineffective or destroyed in the gastro-intestinal tract by acid hydrolysis, enzymes, and the like. In addition, the size and structure of macromolecular drugs may prohibit absorption.
Certain modified amino acids have been used to deliver pharmaceuticals. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,629,020; 5,643,957; 5,766,633; 5,776,888; and 5,866,536. International Patent Publication Nos. WO 01/32130 and WO 01/32596 disclose particular phenyl amine carboxylic acid compounds and phenoxy carboxylic acid compounds for delivering active agents. International Publication No. WO 00/50386 also discloses amine delivery agents. U.S. Pat. No. 7,297,794 discloses a number of phenoxy amine compounds and compositions for the delivery of active agents.
However, there is still a need for simple, inexpensive, and safe delivery systems which are easily prepared and which can deliver a broad range of active agents by various routes.